The really frightening thing about middle age is you know you'll grow out of it! ~Doris Day

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Curses

I took sewing in high school and wasn't very good at it. I made an apron and then my main project was a poodle skirt. I don't remember why I picked a poodle skirt. What I do remember is my mother putting the finishing touches on it the night before it was due. Actually, she was attaching the waistband and inserting the zipper then she helped me hem it. I'm sure she appreciated that heck out of that.

When Boy and Girl were little I made them each a few pairs of shorts and I made myself a jumper. A really, really ugly jumper that was too big and not very flattering. A real seamstress would have slapped her hand to her forehead and muttered something unprintable.

I have a short attention span and I am NOT a perfectionist. I'm more of a, "Hey, it looks fine to me!" kind of a girl. I'm a, "Can I do this in an hour or less? Cause I've got better things to do..."

I need a regency ball dress or a 1940's dressy dress for Girl. She went and out grew the Jane Austen dress my mother made her (which never truly fit right any way).

I met a lady who said she'd be happy to make a dress for Girl...after she finished sewing bridesmaid dresses for her TWO daughters weddings which take place this summer.

I need a dress by the 11th of June. We are attending the Narnia Ball. After talking with a friend I learned that her daughters will be dressed in 1940's school girl uniforms (if you've watched the movie, then you know what I'm talking about). Girl has NO desire to dress as a school girl (I think it's because she pretty much is one and would prefer to dress UP).

We looked on Ebay and found a couple of lovely dresses ranging in price from $55.00 to well over $1,000. Egad. The $55.00 dress is a bargain, but again, they sew it according to the measurements you send. What if it doesn't fit right? That's what happened with the dress my Mother made.

So, Mom? (not that you read my blog, but...) You were right. I should have learned to sew. I should have knuckled down and paid attention. I now regret that I didn't.

You were right.

I was wrong.

In case any of you have a Jane Austen style dress, say in a size 6 or 8, just hanging in your closet or perhaps a vintage 1940's modest, cocktail dress, give me a holler.

I'll be at the Goodwill, sorting through piles of dresses looking for something vintage, cute, not too adult, that is either green, blue, or black, and is wearable.